RSL’s Presentation to the Senate on Awards and Honours

On 7 February, alongside RSL New South Wales Deputy President David McCann, I presented to the Senate’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee regarding the Defence Honours and Awards System. Our submission seeks to enhance the Defence Honours and Awards System to better recognise the service of our Defence personnel who have served and continue to serve our nation with distinction. Among a range of recommendations, the RSL proposed that no medal or citation be pre-emptively stripped from a veteran until all allegations of misconduct are lawfully investigated, substantiated, and the matter concludes.

We also supported the independence of the Defence Honours and Appeals tribunal, proposed wider communication of eligibility criteria for honours and awards through the veteran network, the recognition of physical and mental injury as a result of service, effective consultation when recommendations for awards and commendation are downgraded or overturned, and the automatic awarding of milestone awards to Defence personnel.

ED: Copied from the RSL President’s Newsletter